Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Figueroa-Novoa, 25, who is charged with fatally shooting his girlfriend Yarelis Barrios, 19, at her Harrisburg home on Dec. 23, 2010. He then severely wounded Barrios' mother, Lithz Serrano, as she rushed to her daughters aid before turning the gun on himself in a failed suicide attempt, investigators claim.

Figueroa-Novoa is the first Dauphin County murder defendant to go to trial with the death penalty at stake in six years.

The last county murder defendant to be sentenced to death was Ernest Wholaver of Middletown, who was convicted in 2004 of the Christmas Eve 2002 murders of his estranged wife and two daughters.

Prospective jurors for Figueroa-Novoa's trial have answered a 25-page questionnaire designed to give President Judge Todd A. Hoover, prosecutor Johnny Baer and the defense team of Ari Weitzman and Deanna Muller a peek into their backgrounds and psyches.

Five pages of questions dealt solely with their attitudes toward the death penalty.

They are asked if any moral religious or ethical factors would prevent them from imposing that ultimate punishment. They are asked about books or articles they have read about capital punishment and about discussions they may have had on the topic.

The prospects also are queried as whether there are some types of murder where they always would or would not vote in favor of a death sentence.

"If a jury returns with sentence of death, the law requires that each juror sign the verdict of death, return it in the presence of all the parties and, if requested, rise and individually affirm his or her individual vote on the verdict in open court," one question states. "Would you be able to do that?"

Not all the questions are so dire.

Most delve into general background, employment, living arrangements, familiarity and experience with law enforcement, the law and the courts. They are asked if they or anyone they know has ever been arrested, for instance.

Since Figueroa-Novoa is a Spanish speaker and is using an interpreter to follow the court proceedings, the jurors are being asked if that in any way influences their attitudes toward him.

Jury prospects also are asked whether their political views would affect their jury service, whether they have had any experience regarding domestic violence and how they would regard psychiatric testimony, which could be a factor in the defense case.

The questionnaire was just for starters.

Hoover brought blocks of prospective jurors into his courtroom Monday for preliminary questioning. They were told that the trial could last up to three weeks.

Several people were excused for health reasons, work or school conflicts or because they had scheduled vacations.

Jury selection will get underway in earnest on Tuesday when, as is required in death penalty cases, individual questioning of the candidates will begin to select 12 jurors and three alternates to weigh Figueroa-Novoa's fate.

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